


Living the lie

by what_is_life_about



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:21:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26445526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/what_is_life_about/pseuds/what_is_life_about
Summary: There's the lie they live. And there's the truth they both know.
Relationships: Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	Living the lie

**Author's Note:**

> My first work in this fandom. I started to watch DS9 two weeks ago. Now watching season three I realized how much I love Garak's and Julian's relationship.  
> Enjoy!

“It looks worse than it is. I'm sure it'll be gone in a couple of days...”

Julian didn't want to hear any of these childish excuses anymore. Discussing was a thing he practiced in his free time, but the doctor never even gave the opportunity to discuss to his patients. They didn't know what was the best for them and Garak wasn't an exception. Julian would have said he was even more stubborn than any patient he'd met before. 

"I don't care about the fact that it'll be gone in a few days. The fact you were part of a fight is reason enough to bring you to sickbay."

"You should care about the Bajorans," Garak replied and tried to escape. "They seemed injured as well."

"They were, but Odo didn't allow them to stay for one more second," Julian answered and pulled him out of the lift. "I'll just have to care about you."

"You don't have to, really", Garak told him again, but his resistance wasn't as powerful as Julian had expected. "I'll just go back and …" 

"Just give up, Garak, just once." Julian shaked his head heavily. "You can't even discuss properly anymore. Your injuries must be really bad."

Garak murmured some words, but Julian didn't even try to understand. He gave a sigh of relief seeing the doors of sickbay because Garak wasn't really able to stand on his own feet. This time his friend really needed help. 

"Sit down here", Julian commanded while helping Garak to lay down on one of the biobeds. "Don't move, I'll be right back." 

"I won't go anywhere", the Cardassian whispered while staring at the ceiling with a empty gaze that scared Julian. 

The Doctor gathered a hypospray, his tricorder and the other equipment to help his friend. He noticed his shaking hands and his fading professionalism. Julian wasn't just angry with the Bajorans who caused this fight, the superior feeling in his heart was worry. Knowing he could help his friend didn't seem to be enough to cure his concern. 

"Your wrist is broken and you've got some serious bruises and sprains, Garak. If I didn't help you, it wouldn't be gone in a couple of days. You have to let the people help you." 

"We are living in reality, not your fantasy, Doctor," Garak whispered slowly. "Everyone has to care about themselves because … no one else will."

"But I can act according to my fantasy world," Julian replied while beginning to heal the injuries of his friend. "And I will help you when you need me, Garak. You should know that."

"Don't get too emotional, Doctor," Garak replied. "Not in this life."

Julian became silent while thinking about this pessimistic view of life. His mind didn't want to accept what his heart already knew: This world was cruel and it wouldn't change for some pathetic beings. 

"Maybe we have to change this," the doctor whispered. "I don't want to see you get hurt again. I've never even dared to believe that Bajorans could be that cruel. I've forgotten that any empathetic being could be that cruel. I don't want to see anybody suffer because of things he didn't do."

"I caused enough suffering to deserve this. You shouldn't worry about anybody. In the end, everyone will get what they deserve."

"I don't believe this," Julian replied and put his medical equipment aside. "I can't believe this, Garak. Nobody deserves this. Especially not you."

"You don't anything about me," the Cardassian answered and got up from the biobed slowly. "You can't judge the Bajorans. They have every right to be angry."

"But they don't have the right to judge every Cardassian. That's racism, Garak. I won't tolerate this kind of behaviour. Not in my presence."

"You sound like you'd worry about me, Doctor," Garak smiled slightly while staring out of the window. "“The bruises match my eye color, don't you agree, Doctor?” 

Julian couldn't resist the urge to laugh. He looked at Garak's appearance and nodded with a big smile on his face. "Yes, they do."

"I'll go now. I've to run a business." Garak stood up and implied a slight bow. "See you soon, Doctor."

Julian tried to find words to keep Garak back, to talk him out of leaving. Panic mixed with unfounded sorrow and deep concern made the doctor freeze and unable to talk anymore. He was just able to watch Garak leaving. 

When the doors closed, Julian came back to life. Cursing loudly the doctor leaved sickbay and tried to catch up to Garak. 

"Garak! Garak, stop!" A few meters in front of the next lift Garak stopped and Julian could see a smile he wasn't able to hide. 

"I worry about you, Garak," Julian told the man and looked down to his feet. "You should know that. It might be a cruel world, but I'll try to make it better."

Garak nodded, didn't stop to smile and whispered, "I know, Doctor. We both know the lie we live. That means, deep down in our hearts, we both know the truth as well."

Julian started to smile and watched Garak leaving the floor, but not his life. He watched the man go and carry on, living his life like he'd done for many years. The doctor know they'd meet again, but more important he realized that the truth was a thing they both believed in. The truth was something they couldn't admit now, but maybe later. 

"I can wait," the doctor whispered. "I can wait for the truth to become real."

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a native speaker and that's my first work in this fandom, so I'm glad about every feedback I get!


End file.
